Photos of the Drama 2/3" CCD prototype

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Otis Grapsas

Otis Grapsas

Carbonite Member
I think this is worth posting in the news section so that somone might actually see it:)

EDIT: Prototype photo visible outside DVXuser: http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/4617/dramaprototype.jpg

An 8bit uncompressed image from this prototype (with gain and additional sharpening to show the grain):

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5693/999z.png


If you are not aware of the Drama project, it's a project of mine and what I have been working on for about 3 years. It's fully uncompressed digital cinema camera, currently using a 2/3" Kodak 1920x1080 CCD sensor, recording to open media, HDD or SSD, and focused on easy integration with an IT editing and postproduction workflow. The camera records 12bit RAW bayer which can be developed to many popular formats, but fully uncompressed MOV/AVI is recommended. Nothing less than top quality DNxHD in any case.

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These photos show the state of the Drama for the past 11 months. This one is the first free prototype I assembled and nobody except a handful of people have seen it. It's my idea of rapid prototyping:

- Even though it hosts quite expensive components. It was built within 2 days from 1mm sheet aluminum, using a Dremel, elbow grease and parts from the mom and pop hardware store next door. The advantage is that I can perform major modifications to this prototype in 10 minutes, without going through a rapid prototyping cycle.

- The body size is the same with an A4 sheet of paper.

- The total weight in this lightweight shell is 5,200gr:

2,600gr for the body
400gr for HDD media catridge
1200gr for 220Wh battery
700gr for the 8" touchscreen monitor
300gr for the Fujinon 12.5mm C-mount prime lens

I'm currently designing a real shell for the camera and adding software features.

Everything is hand wired point to point on this prototype. The lens mount is a C-mount which easily adapts to other formats like PL, B4, Nikon etc. In the configuration shows in these photos, it will operate for more than 2 hours with this battery and record more than 2 hours of uncompressed 12bit 1920x1080 bayer to the internal media cartridge. Only a single cable is required for operation. It connects the monitor to the body. All connectors are push pull, even USB, GigE, eSATA etc.

This photo shows that it doesn't take a mechanical engineering degree or computer assisted prototyping to get the center of gravity right:)

View attachment 19710

The prototype is fully functional and stable. It records video at 24p with sync audio and all connectors are operational.


You will find more info and general discussion here:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=132566&page=55

Thank you.
 
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Otis, what a honor, I am the first one to post... Now we need to watch the footage!

Congrats buddy,

E. :-)
 
Emanuel said:
It does seem as clean as water. Very pleasant indeed. What lens, focal length and aperture?

Very very nice. When the release?

Synch for 3D?
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It's a $300 Fujinon F1.4, but I'm not sure about the aperture. The sensor is 10% larger than a 2/3" broadcast CCD camera so the DOF is about the same. The difference is that you can have affordable f1.4 lenses so shallow DOF is better than the typical 2/3" with a zoom. Theoretically it can use f0.95 or faster, there is no prism to limit the large aperture capability.

Release? I will let you know:)

Yes, 3D is easy with two cameras, but a version with both camera boards on the same shell would be more practical, easier to get sensors closer and perform adjustments. A version with two free heads would be even easier, I have tested this in the past. When you connect two Dramas using the sync port, one is slave and follows the shutter clock of the first camera so precision is increddible. This is also very useful for setups using multiple cameras for bullet time and multicamera. The boards I use are designed by companies that specialise in scientific imaging, so they are very good with sync, most customers demand total precision and flexibility. There is even sync delay for adjustments.

EDIT. With two Dramas you can use the included camera board assemblies tethered to the bodies. With these Fujinon prime lenses and the 2/3" Kodak, the distance between the sensor centers is 52mm or more. The Fujinon prime lenses are 52mm diameter (all of them), so they can be adjusted for focus/iris even at that distance.
 
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Otis Grapsas said:
It's a $300 Fujinon F1.4, but I'm not sure about the aperture. The sensor is 10% larger than a 2/3" broadcast CCD camera so the DOF is about the same. The difference is that you can have affordable f1.4 lenses so shallow DOF is better than the typical 2/3" with a zoom. Theoretically it can use f0.95 or faster, there is no prism to limit the large aperture capability.
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Smart move indeed. $300 are peanuts. Well, and the CCD route does mean something as far as rolling shutter concern concerns ;-)

Otis Grapsas said:
Release? I will let you know:)
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I am all ears and not only myself...

BTW, I felt free to post it @ cinematography.com, as well, reduser.net (as well, through my Facebook network *) :

http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showforum=8

http://reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?p=636216#post636216
 
3D...here is a promising market

3D...here is a promising market

Otis Grapsas said:
When you connect two Dramas using the sync port, one is slave and follows the shutter clock of the first camera so precision is increddible. This is also very useful for setups using multiple cameras for bullet time and multicamera. The boards I use are designed by companies that specialise in scientific imaging, so they are very good with sync, most customers demand total precision and flexibility. There is even sync delay for adjustments.

EDIT. With two Dramas you can use the included camera board assemblies tethered to the bodies. With these Fujinon prime lenses and the 2/3" Kodak, the distance between the sensor centers is 52mm or more. The Fujinon prime lenses are 52mm diameter (all of them), so they can be adjusted for focus/iris even at that distance.
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Very promising.

Otis Grapsas said:
Yes, 3D is easy with two cameras, but a version with both camera boards on the same shell would be more practical, easier to get sensors closer and perform adjustments. A version with two free heads would be even easier, I have tested this in the past.
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But this would be sweet!
 
Otis:

Congratulations. I make underwater housings and have been working with various cameras, but syncing and size are always a big issue so I am very interested in what you are doing.

I have a Cnc machine if u need to work with someone to get parts made.

I also have some (approx. 100) beautiful surplus Lemo cable and bulkheads that might be perfect for your project. Will post a photo later.
 
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Emanuel said:
Very promising.

But this would be sweet!
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Yes, 2/3" is quite practical for 3D. Two Drama kits will convert to a 3D setup in about 30 minutes. The camera boards are about 400gr, they include a protection shell and tripod adapters are available. They can feed the signal to their body in tethered operation using very long cables and they can be powered from the camera DC ports or a small battery. They are wide voltage range compatible and only 2x8watts for two.

I believe a steadicam 3D rig will also work fine. Two cameras side by side, facing in opposite directions, and about 12kg for two full bodies.

The Fujinon lenses can lock their iris and focus with small screws so they will work very well on helicopters, motorboats, etc. CCD will work very well in the application also. I can see 1000 3D car chases:)
 
aquavideo said:
Otis:

Congratulations. I make underwater housings and have been working with various cameras, but syncing and size are always a big issue so I am very interested in what you are doing.
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The heat is practically sealed in these right? How do you manage to keep the cameras operating? Digital cinema cameras are 60-80watts and even a typical shouldermount is over 40watts.

What can be done is two heads, two lenses and a battery in the underwater housing (16 watts total) with very long cables connecting to the surface bodies. It sounds ok for pools, aquariums, effects and feature filmmaking but not for real underwater use.

I will contact you about CNC in PM.
 
Otis,

I'm following your other thread and dig what you are doing technically, but those pics are just TMI at this point. It was much sexier in my imagination...

-J
 
j said:
Otis,

I'm following your other thread and dig what you are doing technically, but those pics are just TMI at this point. It was much sexier in my imagination...

-J
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The production shell will also have very simple lines, no artificial detail and a very small logo. The X pattern of connector lineup vs the exhaust center will remain. It will not be very sexy, that was never a design goal:)
 
Emanuel said:
I am all ears and not only myself...
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The project is getting to be very interesting. I'm still convinced there is no commercial future in the consumer market sales sense but I'm very impressed but what is happening.

I have been contacted by 9 filmmakers so far who have a serious interest in getting one or two Dramas for their next project. What is amazing is that I was surprised to find that every single one of them is artistically accomplished with awards from major film festivals. I usually talk on the phone but I had the chance to meet 2 of them in person so far in Athens and Thessaloniki. It is exactly the market I was interested in. They work exclusively on feature filmmaking, going through production of a feature every 1 to 2 years.

It's always about projects that require 6 to 12 week shoots and the budgets are 100,000 to 300,000 euro. Film is prohibitively expensive for most of these projects due to the required shooting ratio, and the currently available digital cinema solutions cost way too much for long term rentals, especially when more than one cameras are required. Buying the cameras is usually less expensive. But buying such expensive cameras is a large part of the budget once you add all the required shooting/workflow components. It's not really an option with most high quality camera packages being 40,000 to 200,000 euro.

It feels great to talk to a filmmaker and hear all the points I have been making on the thread for almost 2 years now. It justifies the decisions and the time I have spent. It feels great when somebody appreciates your hard work down to the details. My plan was to enable low budget filmmaking, the 50k to 200k projects and offer a quality that was not previously available. An alternative to the everyday 5,000 to 10,000 euro camcorder these projects have to use.

Drama will not sell many units, it was not designed for that, but it looks like it will go to the right hands. Interesting projects and real cinema. I'm very enthusiastic about its future.
 
Yeah Otis that does sound promising. I mean I'm looking at your camera with great interest too. It fits the model of what I have been hoping a major manufacturer might deliver. The TMI comment was just ridiculous, the exact benefit of your approach has been the unvarnished truth and history of your products' development.

I too would love the chance to shoot a short with a prototype eventually too, to aid in the promotion of this unique camera. Good luck Otis!
 
Otis Grapsas said:
(...)

but it looks like it will go to the right hands. Interesting projects and real cinema. I'm very enthusiastic about its future.
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Yes you can ;-)

Otis Grapsas said:
It will not be very sexy, that was never a design goal:)
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Otis,

Let Jim take charge of it and no more complaints... LOL *)

I am surely joking. As above-mentioned, I already posted @ reduser. It would be nice to have him to post here too. I'd rather have him as regular poster over these boards again. The guy is a funny good fellow as same as you. And you've reached a special level with a real kinetta beyond the paper. Respect.

You'll surely have success with your camera taken the technology design you have. Anyone who had followed up the other thread knows the level of knowledge you have on the subject matter. I mean movie business included, something too important for side effects. 51% of the game IMHO.

E. :-)


PS -- A curious note, I've just received more than one PM from different people on my FB about my post there on your camera, go figure! Same demand: price. At least one of them interested in 3D.
 
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Otis Grapsas said:
The heat is practically sealed in these right? How do you manage to keep the cameras operating? Digital cinema cameras are 60-80watts and even a typical shouldermount is over 40watts.

What can be done is two heads, two lenses and a battery in the underwater housing (16 watts total) with very long cables connecting to the surface bodies. It sounds ok for pools, aquariums, effects and feature filmmaking but not for real underwater use.

I will contact you about CNC in PM.
Click to expand...


AquaVideo was the first company to make underwater housings for Red (which we all know can get a little warm at times) so Im sure heat won't be a problem. You should defiantly take him up on his offer b/c he is very knowledgeable with cameras as well as producing housings (I don't know him just have read many posts of his). Im sure that deep knowledge of machining and producing housings would transfer over well to your project. Anyways, I am glad to see everything really coming together, looks great! Brian:thumbsup:
 
bpetrie said:
AquaVideo was the first company to make underwater housings for Red (which we all know can get a little warm at times) so Im sure heat won't be a problem. You should defiantly take him up on his offer b/c he is very knowledgeable with cameras as well as producing housings (I don't know him just have read many posts of his). Im sure that deep knowledge of machining and producing housings would transfer over well to your project. Anyways, I am glad to see everything really coming together, looks great! Brian:thumbsup:
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Yes. I checked the site. Aquavideo have been doing this for 30years:) Water gets the heat from the aluminum case. Makes sense, especially if the camera cooling cooperates.
 
Emanuel said:
PS -- A curious note, I've just received more than one PM from different people on my FB about my post there on your camera, go figure! Same demand: price. At least one of them interested in 3D.
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The projection is about 10,000 euro with 2 large batteries, charger, monitor, and media for 2 hours of recording. +2000 euro for a prime lens set.

2x that for 3D. It's just two cameras. It does not require any extra components.
 
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